Hainan awaits rainbow after 9 days of heavy downpours

Updated: 2010-10-11 09:57:45

After nine days of heavy downpours on the island province of Hainan, signs of a respite appeared on Sunday as the rain began to ease and the floodwater started to recede in some of the areas that were severely hit in the storms.

Goods from a shop in Wenchang, Hainan province, are moved to the curb on Sunday as the area is hit by flooding caused by record rainfall. [Photo/China Daily]

The record rainfall, the worst in nearly half a century, affected 2.5 million people in 16 counties and cities across the province and forced 336,000 residents to be evacuated from their homes as of Saturday afternoon, the local flood control authority said.

China News Service quoted Zeng Weilu, deputy director of the education department in Hainan province, as having said that 1,187 schools had been damaged by the rain, which destroyed 92 classrooms and dormitory rooms, leaving 2,267 others unsafe.

Zeng said the direct economic loss to the local education department stood at 99.91 million yuan ($14.69 million).

Since the rain began to ease on Saturday and is forecast to continue to diminish over the next two days, most schools on the island are due to resume classes on Monday.

However, Wenchang, one of the worst hit areas, remained under threat, as low-lying residential areas continued to be submerged by the floodwater, cutting off traffic in urban districts.

Two main arteries connecting the flooded city to the outside world returned to service on Saturday afternoon, alleviating food shortages and rising vegetables prices.

After local crops were destroyed in the floods, cities like the provincial capital Haikou had to rely on having vegetables shipped in from outside.

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